Map cabinet



Dec. 6, 1955 E. HAZEL, JR 2,726,128

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MAP CABINET Filed Aug. 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIII F It.

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United States Patent were CABINET Erne t Jr S Maia M9- rr isa a 4.95%! 2 1-95 fin a 9144219 2, .C a ms- 1- 3 1251 1 This invention 'relates to storage or filing cabinets, particularly" adapted to receive 'riiaps' arid other" large sheets of material, the primary" object being to provide a relatviely' inexpensive, neat" appearing unit capable of receiving a large numb ror ma s "witho'ut consuming an appreciable amouht of space. i

It is the'r'nost'importantobject of the instant inven tion to provide a cabinetfor maps "and the like capable of receiving relatively largeshe'ets without" the necessity of folding and includingfa'collapsible assembly for hanging the maps within'thefcabiiietin a heat and orderly manner.

Another important object of this invention is to provide in a cabinet for map'am 'ethersheet material, a hanger assembly including a pair of plates'be'tween which the maps are hung, thepljatesthemselves being mounted for reciprocable movemenftowar'd and away from each other whereby to facilitate insertion" and removal of the maps individually or "in groiips without necessitating removal of the entire hangerassembly. i

A still further objecf'of the "instant invention is to provide a filing cabinet having a' plurality" of hanger units as just aboveset'for'th, and whei-eiii each hanger assembly is provided with swingable cover panels permitting shipment or'otheFhandling of a bundle of maps held togetherbetween 'the"plates 'of th hanger when removed s. a un t. .fmra W thin thestora or. fi n c b net.

th r e ts elate to mpar m. det at on t tion s h as he r r si a 9 pursued nn l. t a Within he ab net fo es at sably. re g. a numb spegialmo ing of the shafts for the rollers that rideih the track'sb asT'to permit removal of the hanger units from within the cabinetjand utilization ofv pairs of. rollers on each of the plates of the hanger assembly so as to avoid tipping of the plates and, therefore, of the map-receiving pins that are mounted thereon.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a map cabinet made according to my present invention, parts being broken away and in section to reveal details of construction.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating certain details of construction.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal, crosssectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1, parts being broken away and in section for clearness.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line VI--VI of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, elevational view of one of the hanger assemblies showing one of the swingable cover panels therefor; and

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of one of the hanger 2 assemblies and illustrating the two swingable cove: panels- M Various and sundry structures have heretofore been suggested forfacilitating the filing and storing of maps and other relatively large sheets of material. For'the most part however, such structures" have been cumbersome, space-consumin g', unattractive, expensive and not particularly convenient'for the user whose task it is to remove and replace are maps. 2

Many other types of structures have been incapable of handling buta few maps and oftentimes it is necessary to either fold orroll the'niaps before the storage means can accommodate the same. Still further, so far as I am aware, the" prior art does not provide for filing cabinets permitting simple and ready removal and replacement of large bundles of maps for shipment or use as a unit. 4 a a The advantages of the filing cabinet forming the subject matter of the instant invention will become apparent upon understanding of the following specification,

reference being had to'the drawings, wherein is shown a hollow cabinet broadly "designated 'by the numeral 10, that is open at its top and provided with a pair of end walls 12 and 14. H I i v A closure lid 16 for the open top of the cabinet 10 is preferably mounted for swinging movement to and from an open position by means" of a hinge 18, and a handle 20 onthe lid 16 facilitates opening thereof.

An upper track 22 and alower track 24 may be either mounted directly oh the wall 12 or upon an interconnecting plate 26 that is in turn joined to the 'wall 12 as best seen in Fig. 3.' Similarly, an upper track 28,and a lower track"30 inter'connected'by a plate 32, are mounted upon the wall 14 as seen in Fig. 6. The tracks 22', 24, 28 and 30 are all composed of inwardly facing channel members'andare, therefore, U-shaped in crosssection. The tracks 'are identicalexcept for the fact that the lowermost tracks 24 and: 30 are provided with inwardly projecting extensions, one of which is shown in FigJ 3 and designated the numeral 34.

The tracks are edapted to receive a plurality of hanger assemblies broadly designated by the numeral 36, and since the assemblies 36are identical, only one will be described. Each assembly 36 includes a pair'of spacedapartpelongate'd plates "38 and 40 substantially spanning the distance between the walls 12 and '14 and each provided with a pair of tubular barrels 42 and 44 respectively, extending along the longitudinal edges thereof.

Each of the'ou'tw'ardly curled barrels 44"receives a pair of reciproeable shafts that are in turn provided with rollers adapted to ride in the tracks 22, 24, 28 and 30. The said shafts are all designated by the numeral 46, it being understood that each plate 38 and 40 is provided with a pair of rollers 48 at each end respectively thereof. Accordingly, there are eight rollers in each assembly 36. Each of the barrels 42 and 44 is provided with a spring 50 preferably midway between the ends thereof and bearing against the innermost ends of opposed shafts 46 to yieldably bias the rollers 48 upwardly toward the walls 12 and 14. The extent of outward movement of the shafts 46 is limited by detents 52 formed in the barrels 42 and 44 for each shaft 46 respectively and extending into longitudinal slots 54 formed in the shafts 46.

The two shafts 46 extending from that end of the plate 38 proximal to wall 14 are interconnected by a vertical strip 56, whereas the shafts 46 extending from the opposite end of the plate 33, are similarly interconnected by a strip 58. The shafts 46 of plate 44 are connected in pairs by strips and 62 respectively, the four strips 56, 58, 60 and 62 being provided with outturned ears 64 cooperating with, and normally spaced from, out-turned ears 66 at each end respectively of each of the plates 38 and 40.

Plate 38 is provided with a plurality of horizontal, mapreceiving pins 68 on the innermost face thereof, extending through openings 70 in the plate 40, and. the plate 40 is in turn provided with alternate pins 72 extending through openings 74 in the plate 38.

The pins 68 and 72 are also adapted to mount swingable cover panels 76 if desired, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, each of which is provided with an upper section 78 perforated to receive the pins 68 and 72 and swingably mounting the panels 76 by use of hinge means 80.

The assemblies 36 are all normally mounted Within the cabinet 10 for reciprocable movement along the tracks 22, 24, 28 and 30 and are renderedaccessible by opening the lid 16. Since the plates 38 and 40 are readily movable toward and away from each other because of the rolling movement of their rollers 48 within the tracks, it is but necessary to spread the plates 38 and 40 apart when it is desired to either insert or remove the maps (not shown). It is understood of course, that each map is provided with a series of perforations along one marginal edge thereof for receiving the pins 68 and 72, and when the maps are mounted thereon between the plates 38 and 40, they will hang suspended from the assemblies 36 and be enclosed within the cabinet 10.

Similarly, the assemblies 36 may each be removed from the cabinet 10 and replaced by manipulation of a the shafts 46. It is but necessary to grasp the ears 64 and 66 between the fingers to move the rollers 48 inwardly against the action of springs 50 in order. to retract rollers 48 from within the channel-shaped tracks 22, 24, 28 and 30. After the rollers 48 are thus retracted, the extensions 34 on the lowermost tracks 24 and 30, temporarily support the hangers 36 until the same can be lifted bodily from within the cabinet 10, together with the maps that are supported thereby. If the cover panels 76 are utilized as above indicated, the removed unit 36 may then be placed in use much like a book and the panels 76 likewise facilitate shipment of the units 36 since the maps are protected by the swingable cover panels 76. In replacing the assemblies 36, the extensions 34 likewise facilitate the operation by supporting the assemblies 36 until the rollers 48 are aligned with their tracks and thereupon released so that the springs 50 operate to force the rollers 48 into the channel tracks.

Details of construction may of course, be varied within the spirit of this invention and many uses other than those above set forth will become apparent to those Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A storage unit for maps and the like comprising in combination, a hollow cabinet provided with an access opening and a pair of spaced, vertical walls; an upper and a lower horizontal, inwardly-facing channel member mounted on the innermost face of each wall respectively; and a hanger assembly spanning the distance between said walls, said assembly including a pair of spaced, elongated, horizontal plates, each provided with an upper and a lower longitudinal barrel; a pair of shafts mounted in each barrel respectively; a roller mounted on each shaft respectively, each of said channel members receiving one roller of each plate, said shafts being reciprocable in the barrels for removal of the assembly from the cabinet; and a series of spaced, horizontal, mapreceiving pins secured to one face of each plate respectively, the pins of each plate extending toward the opposite plate and each plate having openings receiving the pins of the opposite plate.

2. A storage unit for maps and the like comprising in combination, a hollow cabinet provided with an access opening and a pair of spaced, vertical walls; an upper and a lower horizontal, inwardly-facing channel member mounted on the innermost face of each wall respectively; and a hanger assembly spanning the distance between said walls, said assembly including a pair of spaced, elongated, horizontal plates, each provided with an upper and a lower longitudinal barrel; a pair of shafts mounted in each barrel respectively; a roller mounted on each shaft respectively, each of said channel members receiving one roller of each plate, said shafts being reciprocable in the barrels for removal of the assembly from the cabinet; and a series of spaced, horizontal, mapreceiving pins secured to one face of each plate respectively, the pins of each plate extending toward the opposite plate and each plate having openings receiving the pins of the opposite plate, each barrel being provided with a spring between the shafts thereof for yieldably holding the rollers within the channel members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

